IN MEMORIAM

1. H.M. KING ALBERT OF THE BELGIANS
2. H.R.H. LUIGI AMEDEO OF SAVOY, DUKE OF THE ABRUZZI
3. HENRY FAIRBANKS MONTAGNIER
4. HERMANN HOTZ

 

 

H.M. KING ALBERT OF THE BELGIANS

THE tragic news of the death of His Majesty the King of the Belgians comes as we go to press. Second only to his devotion to the welfare of his people was his passion for the mountains. His spare moments were devoted to them. We like to think that his great qualities and virtues, courage, steadfastness, and loyalty to a cause, were strengthened by his association with them. He visited India and came under the spell of the Himalaya.

Rudyard Kipling's lines, written in 1910, are strangely appropriate to King Albert:

For on him each new day laid command, every tyrannous hour, To confront, or confirm, or make smooth some dread issue of power: To deliver true judgment aright at the instant, unaided, In the strict, level, ultimate phrase that allowed or dissuaded: To foresee, to allay, to avert from us perils unnumbered, To stand guard on our gates when he guessed that our watchmen had slumbered.

To win time, to turn hate, to woo folly to service and, mightily schooling His strength to the use of his Nations, to rule as not ruling. These were the works of our King; Earth's peace is the proof of them. God gave him great works to fulfil and to us the behoof of them.

K. M.

 

 

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H.R.H. LUIGI AMEDEO OF SAVOY, DUKE OF THE ABRUZZI

H.R.H. Luigi Amedeo of Savoy, Duke of the Abruzzi, closed his life on the 15th March 1933 in Italian Somaliland—in that marvellous centre of colonial agriculture which he had founded and directed with indomitable energy and passion. Far from his own country, but at the head of his last enterprise, the glorious life of this great prince was ended; a life which, even had he not been born so near the throne, Italians would have venerated as an example and symbol of human activity turned towards great ends; and a life which others, of all nations, would have admired as that of one pre-eminent among the greatest mountain explorers of modern times.

It is unnecessary here to recall in detail the various deeds of his life, as a man of study, of action, and of peace, and as a colonist; nor as the highest Commander of the Royal Italian Navy. Neither is it necessary to recall his long and daring voyages on all the seas of the earth, or his bold alpine campaigns that brought him victories on the Mont Blanc massif, on summits that were as yet unconquered. A few dates may be enough to remind us of those enterprises which fix his name for ever in the history of international exploration: 1897, Mount St. Elias in Alaska, whose summit he reached; 1899-1900, North Polar Regions, where a 'farthest north' record was attained; 1906, Ruwenzori, all of whose summits were conquered; 1909, the Baltoro glacier region in the Karakoram, where the greatest height ever reached by man on foot was attained; 1928-9, Abyssinia and Somaliland, where the unknown sources of Webi-Shebeli river were explored.

All of us, explorers, mountaineers, and scientists of that great mass of mountains, the Himalaya, think with particular reverence of the Savoyan prince who led one of his biggest enterprises up the Baltoro glacier, which is still enclosed by an inviolate circle of giant summits.

Let us briefly recall and honour his predecessors. In 1856 Adolf Schlagintweit, one of that admirable trio of brothers, mountaineers and scientists, pushed his way up the glacier and at the head of a right-hand affluent, reached the 'Old' or 'East' Muztagh pass. In 1861 Godwin Austen, of the Survey of India, a keen observer, a fervent and enthusiastic surveyor, ascended the main tongue to the large amphitheatre, 'Goncordia', where all the upper branches of the glacier collect. In 1887 Sir Francis Younghusband, at the end of his memorable journey from China across Asia, made a fortunate crossing of the 'Old' Muztagh pass from the Shaksgam valley and descended the extreme tongue of the Baltoro glacier. In 1892 Lord Conway led his expedition—the first climbing campaign with trained European guides in the Karakoram—on the tracks of Godwin Austen, to the heart of the Baltoro, and gave us a map, brought us rock samples, and made the first ascents in that mountain circle. Ten years later, in 1902, the Eckenstein expedition reached a col to the east of K², thus overlooking the northern slopes of the range, and climbed the eastern ridge of the great mountain itself for about 3,000 feet. A year later Ferber made a quick climb to the 'Old' Muztagh pass from the south.

The field was still open in 1909 to the exploring and mountain enthusiast who wished to try his strength among the grandest mountains of the earth. And the Duke of the Abruzzi, already victorious in the Alps, on Mount St. Elias, in the Arctic, and on Ruwenzori, could not remain insensible to the call of the Karakoram.

It was in May 1909 that the Duke reached that grand confluence of glaciers up the Baltoro, which had first been seen by Godwin Austen. On the 25th of. the month he pushed up the northern affluent, which divides higher up into two branches and almost encircles the giant pyramid of K². Camp was pitched at the foot of the mountain. Attacks were made up the south-west arete, but the difficulties were insuperable. The western glacier was explored and ascended to the col at its head, on the divide; from this side too the mountain proved to be impregnable. The expedition gathered again at its base camp, and from the 14th to the 28th of June explored the eastern flank of K², ascending the whole of the glacier that crouches at its foot, and again reached the divide. An attempt to climb the mountain had to be abandoned.

K² had to be given up. On all sides its great barrier walls of rock and ice opposed assault. Such walls might be scaled, perhaps, if met with in the Alps; but here, where the climber must be followed by a caravan of porters, a long and patient siege is needed.

On his way back towards the main Baltoro glacier, the Duke was attracted by a great ice mountain, gleaming white in front of him and forming a gigantic bastion between the Baltoro and the glaciers of the upper Kondus valley: 'the Bride' peak of Lord Conway. And when the party was reassembled at Concordia, the Duke determined to attack this. Ascending the south-east affluent of the Baltoro, which should properly be considered the head branch of the Baltoro, he turned southwards and reached the col overlooking the Kaberi glacier far below. From here he turned towards the summit of 'the Bride', though hindered by persistently adverse weather. A height of 24,600 feet was reached before the attempt had to be abandoned on account of foul weather and fog. This height was the highest reached at that time, and remained so for many years.

The return was rapid and by the 27th July the expedition was back at Askole; crossing the Skoro La to Skardu and the Deosai plateau to Gurais, it entered Srinagar on the 11 th August. The expedition was mainly organized for mountaineering and exploration; but it included in its programme scientific observations and collections that added to our knowledge of the regions explored. Among these may be mentioned the map based on the photogrammetric survey, the meteorological observations, the plant collections made at great heights, and the rock samples brought back. .The history of the expedition, written by Sir Filippo De Filippi and adorned by the magnificent photographs and panoramas of Signor Sella, perhaps remains, even to-day, still the most beautiful book of travel that has ever been published about the Karakoram.¹

Many of us have felt the attraction of the Karakoram. We have admired the young Prince of Savoy, foremost among its explorers, during his lifetime. We remain devoted to his memory.

Giotto Dainelli.

 

 

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HENRY FAIRBANKS MONTAGNIER

1877-1933

Henry Fairbanks Montagnier was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the 20th October 1877. His father, Franck Montagnier, was of an old Lyonnais family which had emigrated to the U.S.A. many generations ago and had helped to found the original coloriy of Indiana. His mother belonged to the Fairbanks family which had settled in New England as long ago as 1633. He was thus a true son of the United States with both English and French blood in his veins.

Henry Montagnier lost his father when he was very young and was mostly educated by his mother and his father's mother, an exceptionally cultured lady. French was spoken in the family circle and the young Montagnier was never tired of listening to tales of the French Revolution and Napoleonic France. It was this early association that bred in him that sympathy and understanding with military men and military life, in whatever country he met them.

Before going to Princeton University he spent a few years at a military school, the Armor Institute. At Princeton he studied English, French, and Spanish literature, history, philosophy, and poetry. After graduating he made his head-quarters in Brussels for further study, spending his summers in Switzerland. Already as a boy he had come under the spell of the Swiss mountains. In 1897 he had his first climbing season in the Alps, and thereafter returned to them yearly when not engaged on more extended travels, to such places as Central and South America, or the Himalaya and Tibet which he visited in 1903-4. In 1903 Montagnier was elected a member of the Alpine Club, an event which determined the main course of his interests for the rest of his life, for after his marriage in 1910 and the break from active mountaineering caused by the War, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to historical research among the records of mountaineering science and adventure. He accumulated an extensive library on all aspects of mountaineering in his home at Champery, where he settled after the War, and his collection of some 10,000 volumes included all the important records dealing with the Himalaya, both official and otherwise, as well as those which concerned the Alps. His knowledge of the books he possessed was vast and his memory extraordinary. As an illustration of his wide knowledge, I may mention that he once gave me some intimate details of the history of one of our 'Pandit' explorers, which he had remembered from a chance conversation with Sir Thomas Holdich over twenty years previously, details which I was able to check subsequently from unpublished records. He was an ardent collaborator with others in the investigation of Alpine history.

Montagnier's last visit to India was in 1927, when he organized a small expedition to explore the lower Shaksgam valley and its side glaciers. At the last moment, when he was already in the Shingshal valley of Hunza, political developments intervened, and the plans had to be changed. Much valuable work was accomplished, however, the lower Ghujerab valley being traversed for the first time and a survey of the upper Chapursan valley being carried out. It was characteristic of Montagnier's generosity that he paid the entire expenses of the whole expedition, including those of his companion, and took none of the credit. It was after this expedition that he offered me a generous contribution towards the cost of carrying out the project which he had been unable to complete in the Shaksgam.

To meet Montagnier and spend an evening with him, either in London, Paris, or Calcutta, was an event, and a very great pleasure. I have done all three. Montagnier was a perfect host and a perfect guest. One of the first names that came to mind when we were contemplating founding the Himalayan Club was his, for no mountain club would have been complete without him. When invited to assist he came forward generously, for his generosity was unbounded. He himself suggested that, if any young members of the Club desired Alpine experience with European guides in Switzerland, I should extend to them an invitation to visit him at .Champery Several of our members accepted his invitation and appreciated his hospitality. During the last year or two of his life, Montagnier transferred his library to his Parisian house in the Avenue Henri Martin. Paris became his head-quarters, though he moved much between America, England, and Switzerland. He died in Montreux after a short illness on the 16th July 1933, his ashes being eventually interred at Terre-Haute, Indiana, the home of his forefathers. Members of the Himalayan Club will extend their sympathy to Madame Montagnier and her daughter.

Kenneth Mason.

 

 

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HERMANN HOTZ

1879-1933

Hermann Hotz was born in Simla on the 3rd December 1879, and from his boyhood evinced a great keenness for mountaineering. In 1901 he went to Switzerland and during the next six years gained considerable experience in climbing. He returned to India in 1908, but for many years business preoccupations precluded him from taking a holiday to pursue his favourite pastime. Later he became Director and Engineer of the Rawalpindi Electric Power Company and was able both in 1929 and 1930 to visit the Himalaya, covering some 700 miles in 26 days on each occasion.

In 1931 he was on a short visit to Switzerland, where he carried out some ascents. In 1933 he again visited Switzerland, and in company with Franz Lochmatter climbed the Tschingelhorn, Aletschorn, Matterhorn, Dent Blanche, and the Weisshorn, being killed with Lochmatter while descending the last-named peak on the 17th August 1933. The accident was witnessed by a party of climbers, among whom were Messrs. Smith Barry, A. D. Malcolm, H. R. Herbert, and the guide Niklaus Brantschen, who have sent an official account for publication in the Alpine Journal.³² From this account it will be seen that Hotz was in no way to blame for the double fatality. His remains were interred at Zermatt. His wish to be taken suddenly, in his beloved mountains, and to be buried in the snow, was undesignedly realized. All who knew him testify to his lovable character and sportsmanship. He was elected to the Himalayan Club in 1930.

Franz Lochmatter, the well-known guide who lost his life in the same accident, accompanied Mr. C. F. Meade on his attempt to climb Kamet in 1912, and he was with Mr. and Mrs. Visser on their three Karakoram expeditions, in 1922, 1925, and 1929-30. We had hoped to publish a brief memoir written by Mrs. Visser, but none has been received at the time of going to press. A fine tribute to the memory of this great guide is paid by Mr. G. W. Young in the Alpine Journal, vol. xlv, 1933, pp. 355-63.

K. M.

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